D265 - WGU - Critical Thinking - Reason
and Evidence UPDATED Exam Questions
and CORRECT Answers
PROPOSITIONS - Correct Answer- Are statements that can be true or false
NON-PROPOSITONS - Correct Answer- Are sentences that are not statements about matters
of fact or fiction. They do not make a claim that can be true or false.
SIMPLE PROPOSITIONS - Correct Answer- Have no internal logic structure, meaning
whether they are true or false does not depend on whether a part of them is true or false. They
are simply true or false on their own. (Example: Harry Potter wears glasses. The sky is blue.)
COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS - Correct Answer- Have internal logic structure, meaning they
are composed of simple propositions. Whether they are true or false depends on whether their
parts are true or false. (Example: The sky is blue, but it does not look blue to me right now.
The cat ate the food, but he did not like it. The GDP of Canada is either $3 trillion or $12
trillion.)
Words used to identify Independent Propositions - Correct Answer- AND, OR, EITHER,
BUT, IF, THEN.
CONCLUSION INDICATORS - Correct Answer- THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT,
HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT,
WHEREFORE, AND AS A RESULT.
PREMISE INDICATORS - Correct Answer- BECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS, SINCE,
AS INDICATED BY.
DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS - Correct Answer- Arguments where the premises guarantee or
necessitate the conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
, INDUCTION ARGUMENTS - Correct Answer- Arguments where the premises make the
conclusion probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION - Correct Answer-
Arguments where the best available explanation is chosen as the correct explanation.
FORMAL FALLACY - Correct Answer- Concerns the structure of an argument
INFORMAL FALLACY - Correct Answer- Concerns the informational content of an
argument
A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF - Correct Answer- Bad Argument Structure
Which piece of information would be the most helpful to know in assessing the credibility of
a news story? - Correct Answer- Whether the name of the author and the publication are
identified
Which questions are most appropriate for evaluating the credibility of an information source?
- Correct Answer- Who funded it? & Does it try to get you to distrust other sources?
While researching a topic on the internet, a student encounters two different websites, one of
that looks more official than the other and includes tables, charts, and statistics, while the
other does not.
What is the line of reasoning this student should employ to determine which site is more
credible? - Correct Answer- It is not feasible to determine which site is more credible from
the information provided.
In which way should an information source be approached if it is stating that it is the only
source of real information and that other sources cannot be trusted? - Correct Answer-
Skeptically, because the source may lack credibility.
PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY - Correct Answer- The principle of charity suggests we should
try to understand ideas before criticizing them.
and Evidence UPDATED Exam Questions
and CORRECT Answers
PROPOSITIONS - Correct Answer- Are statements that can be true or false
NON-PROPOSITONS - Correct Answer- Are sentences that are not statements about matters
of fact or fiction. They do not make a claim that can be true or false.
SIMPLE PROPOSITIONS - Correct Answer- Have no internal logic structure, meaning
whether they are true or false does not depend on whether a part of them is true or false. They
are simply true or false on their own. (Example: Harry Potter wears glasses. The sky is blue.)
COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS - Correct Answer- Have internal logic structure, meaning they
are composed of simple propositions. Whether they are true or false depends on whether their
parts are true or false. (Example: The sky is blue, but it does not look blue to me right now.
The cat ate the food, but he did not like it. The GDP of Canada is either $3 trillion or $12
trillion.)
Words used to identify Independent Propositions - Correct Answer- AND, OR, EITHER,
BUT, IF, THEN.
CONCLUSION INDICATORS - Correct Answer- THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT,
HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT,
WHEREFORE, AND AS A RESULT.
PREMISE INDICATORS - Correct Answer- BECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS, SINCE,
AS INDICATED BY.
DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS - Correct Answer- Arguments where the premises guarantee or
necessitate the conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
, INDUCTION ARGUMENTS - Correct Answer- Arguments where the premises make the
conclusion probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION - Correct Answer-
Arguments where the best available explanation is chosen as the correct explanation.
FORMAL FALLACY - Correct Answer- Concerns the structure of an argument
INFORMAL FALLACY - Correct Answer- Concerns the informational content of an
argument
A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF - Correct Answer- Bad Argument Structure
Which piece of information would be the most helpful to know in assessing the credibility of
a news story? - Correct Answer- Whether the name of the author and the publication are
identified
Which questions are most appropriate for evaluating the credibility of an information source?
- Correct Answer- Who funded it? & Does it try to get you to distrust other sources?
While researching a topic on the internet, a student encounters two different websites, one of
that looks more official than the other and includes tables, charts, and statistics, while the
other does not.
What is the line of reasoning this student should employ to determine which site is more
credible? - Correct Answer- It is not feasible to determine which site is more credible from
the information provided.
In which way should an information source be approached if it is stating that it is the only
source of real information and that other sources cannot be trusted? - Correct Answer-
Skeptically, because the source may lack credibility.
PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY - Correct Answer- The principle of charity suggests we should
try to understand ideas before criticizing them.
